Fitness: Not Seasonal

Winter is on its way, and it can be a challenge to get to my favorite place to exercise: Lifetime Fitness. The great staff there helped me get my life back during the past two years following an accident. It's also where I learned about Pilates, an essential staple in my exercise menu. I show up for marathon Stairmaster sessions (I like to do 250 floors in an hour). That's just part of my maintenance plan. I like to think about myself as a personal ambassador to their mission of fitness.

Living 28 miles away can be somewhat challenging in our sometimes fierce weather. After New Years until the end of February, most gyms are packed to the hilt, due to membership gifting, and New Year's resolutions. Generally I go during quiet hours anyway, because there are fewer obstacles, not that Lifetime ever runs out of equipment to work out on! Often the weather doesn't cooperate, so I begin my winter training season. I am not more disciplined than the average person, but once I get started, I tend to keep my commitment to myself for the sake of staying motivated to change.

For those who don't have quick access to a gym because of distance or pricing, a time-efficient workout routine is essential. It takes a minimum of equipment, a core ball, some 8-15 lb weights, a mat, some ankle weights if you want them. I don't know about you, but if I don't make a schedule of when I will exercise, it doesn't happen. A regular calendar is the best place to write down a plan and a time you know you will work into your schedule.

If you begin now, you can keep it going during the bad weather. Having a moderate plan kept me from piling on weight during the Holidays, so I didn't become a New Year's resolution casualty! Combined with a low carb diet, it was manageable and rewarding as the inches decreased and my fit body emerged, so give it your best shot and stick to it the best you can!

Here are 3 DVD programs that I know produce results if you do them regularly:

1. The Firm - Firm Parts: wwwFIRMdirect.com I suggest alternating this set of 2 DVD's (contains 4 workouts) 5 Day Ab workout: Each ab workout is less than 10 minutes. I usually do 2 ab workouts a day. Then choose either the Upper Body (35 minutes) or Standing Legs workout (42 minutes). I do these Monday Wednesday and Friday. The Tough Tape 2 I do twice a week, whenever I feel super-motivated, it replaces both the ab and Upper Body or Standing Legs tape.

2. 10 Minute Solutions: Pilates for Abs, Pilates for Buns & Thighs, Sculpting Pilates, Pilates Burn, and Pilates for Flexibility. I do two of these per day on Tuesday Thursday and Saturday.

3. Core Secrets by Guthy-Renker: Fundamentals, Give me 20, Full Body Workout (25 minutes) or Accelerated Core Training. All these can be done in less than 30 minutes. If you get bored doing any of these others, rotate them with the others to keep it moving.

4. Add a daily walk at a fast pace or alternation of running and walking, I walk for at least 30 minutes a day. For my mental health, during that walk, as I think about life and my day, I imagine myself leaving a care or worry at every corner and walk on. By the time I get home, I get a great night's sleep because my load has been lightened, at the same time as my body!

In 6 months using these techniques, I lost 40 lbs, and my body is toned. Of course, I don't sit and eat chocolate all day, but I don't do crash diets either, because they don't keep the weight off. It's all about choices, and when I make the right ones, I get the rewards and so can you! Don't be afraid to mix it up and find out what works best for you. You can do it!

There are several other great advantages to this winter home workout program:

1) You'll be saving wear and tear on your car, gas mileage, stress from driving, and reducing the possibilty of being involved in a weather-related accident or being stranded.

2) You don't have to pack a gym bag, and be exposed to lots of germs during cold and flu season. You shower at home, where your sanitary standards are manageable.

3) You can have the right post-workout foods available and won't be tempted to fast-food for convenience.

4) When you are done. You are able to begin resting immediately. Sweet!

One last tip: If I find out I am going on a surprise vacation I sometimes resort to doing the 5 Day Abs complete program of 5 workouts every day (45 min), because they guarantee results in 10 workouts, and they aren't exaggerating at all. So I see progressive results every 3rd day, and the exercises are easier! When I am not doing them for awhile because I am doing core classes, I am only sore for the first two days, then I add weights on the 3rd to maximize the results.